Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an application which seeks the construction of bridge across the River Aire from the former Low Fold development site to the former Hydro Aluminium development site at land at Low Fold, South Accommodation Road and at Clarence Road, Hunslet, Leeds.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which set out details of an application which sought the construction of a bridge across the River Aire from the former Low Fold development site to the former Hydro Aluminium development site to land at Low Fold, South Accommodation Road and Clarence Road, Hunslet, Leeds.

Site photographs and plans were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application.

The Planning Case Officer addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

·  The bridge would be approximately 50 metres long and with a minimum width of 3 metres. It would feature structural hollow box section deck and would contain some services between the two sites including the district heating pipework infrastructure from the RERF at Cross Green. The bridge deck would be clad in a series of profiled fins in Corten pre-weathered steel which form the balustrades at 1400mm in height. The slatted fins would be arranged in an expanding and contracting helix-like pattern.

·  The bridge would be carried by a simple mast and suspension arrangement, with a paired mast rising ten metres above bridge landing level on the Clarence Road site with one set each of forestays and backstays. Approaches to the bridge include both ramped and stepped routes from the landscaped realm incorporated in the design of both development sites. This would allow all users to pass across the River Aire whether on foot, by bike, wheelchair or with children in pushchairs. On the Clarence Road side, access would be from the river side path Transpennine Trail or from the riverside public space within the site, and the bridge would connect to the new landscaped terraced public realm from the Low Fold site. The bridge deck would have a maximum gradient of 1 in 20. The planning application is supported by the following documents:

- Scaled Plans

- Design and Access Statement

- Flood Risk Assessment

- Land contamination desk top study

- Construction Method Statement (Biodiversity)

- Ecology report

In response to Members questions, the following issues were discussed:

·  Timescale for the start and completion of the scheme

·  Could a lighting scheme be incorporated as part of the development

In responding to the issues raised, the Planning Case Officer together with the applicant’s representative provided the following responses:

·  Subject to planning consent, work would begin on site in March 2018 with completion anticipated around June 2018.

·  It was confirmed that an additional condition would be added to include the provision of a lighting scheme.

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

·  Members welcomed the construction of a bridge in this location commenting it was an important walking route and would reduce the travelling time for local residents

In summing up the Chair thanked the Developers for their attendance commenting that this was a welcome development and Members appeared to be supportive of the application.

RESOLVED – That the application be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval subject to the conditions specified in Appendix 1 of the submitted report and with an additional condition to include the provision of a lighting scheme (and any others which he might consider appropriate) and the completion of a Section 106 agreement to include the following obligations:

·  Public access across the bridge to link the Low Fold and Clarence Road development sites.

In the event of the Section 106 not having been completed within 3 months of the resolution to grant planning permission, the final determination of the application shall be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer.